If you are reading this, you probably want to know how to get rid of tomato hornworms (large caterpillars) that are eating your tomato plants and tomatoes!
It’s often the case that you don’t realize that your plants have hornworms until the hornworms are well established.
The reason is because hornworms and caterpillars are so good at “blending in” and avoiding being seen on the underside of tomato leaves. It’s only when you start to recognize them that you realize just how many there are!
The easiest way to get rid of tomato hornworms
- Regularly inspect the underside of leaves in the spring and remove the eggs and hornworms or smaller caterpillars by hand.
- Throw them in soapy water to kill them.
Moths lay their eggs on and under tomato leaves in spring and summer, these eggs hatch into caterpillars.
Insect sprays are available but if you remove the eggs and caterpillars regularly by hand, you should be able to keep them from doing much damage to your plants, leaves and tomatoes.
Signs of tomato hornworms and caterpillars
The first sign is usually small holes in leaves and caterpillar poo that looks like very small dark pellets.
However, if you keep the population under control and down to just few, they can’t do much damage.
For more information on how to get rid of tomato hornworms and caterpillars, please visit the “University of Minnesota Extension” article on “Tomato Hornworms In Home Gardens“.
See also: Other Tomato Problems
